If you can’t tell that it’s summer by the hot weather we’ve having then you can surely tell by what vegetables are in season. I got some zucchinis from the Farmer’s Market just to make zucchini bread. Enjoy! Here’s the Zucchini Bread pictorial.

Last summer, I made my first yeast bread using the rosemary from my garden. I was a bit hesitant to try making bread from scratch but fortunately, the bread turned out to be delicious. I can’t wait until my baby rosemary plant grows big enough to start using it. I also made steak saltimbocca and that turned out pretty tasty, too. Served with a side of tomato and green beans. Yum yum.

The rosemary bread tasted so good warm out of the oven and spread with a little butter. I’m not growing sage this year so unless I’m really craving steak saltimbocca, I probably won’t be making this dish this year. Chong says he’ll eat it again if I make it but I’m sure he’d prefer pasta or regular steak.

It’s only the beginning of February and I can’t wait for summer to come! I love all the fresh vegetables and fruits that come along with the warmer months. Last year, I somehow ended up with so much zucchini that I didn’t know what else to make with it (besides stir-fries) so I found a great zucchini bread recipe and ended up baking tons of it for myself and my family and friends.

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups white sugar

2 cups grated zucchini

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and nuts; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.

Zucchini Bread Pictorial

Dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, & cinnamon

Wet ingredients (eggs, sugar, oil, & vanilla)

Stir wet ingredients, add grated zucchini and stir again

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients

Mix well

Pour into 9 x 13 pan sprayed with Pam for Baking

1 hour later: a delicious golden brown bread

Unfortunately, I didn’t keep this for myself so I didn’t cut into the bread but you can see the green flecks of zucchini on the top so you know you’re getting your vegetables. Ah…I love having my family be my guinea pigs and I know they love it, too.

Speaking of bread, I fell in love with banana bread after my first attempt at making it. Who knew that baking sweet breads could be so easy? After a few attempts and trying out 2 recipes, I’ve finally found my perfect banana bread recipe. It comes out moist and delicious every time! Trust me, I’ve made this bread about 30 times within 2 years.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

5 tablespoons milk or buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup mashed bananas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter or margarine. Beat the egg slightly, and mix into the creamed mixture with the bananas. Mix in sifted ingredients until just combined. Stir in milk and nuts. Spread batter into one greased and floured 9×5 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes.

Banana Bread Pictorial

Oops, I microwaved my butter a bit too long

Add brown sugar

Cream together

Such a lonely egg, isn’t it?

Mixed in

Add buttermilk

Add mashed bananas

Stir

Add dry ingredients

Pretty, isn’t it?

Ready to be baked!

A long 50 minutes later…

Care for a slice?

Okay, I saved the best (at least, according to DH) for last. Who doesn’t love a sugary-cinnamonny piece of Monkey Bread?!?!?! I first made this for DH for brunch and he fell in love with it. This is now one of his favorite breakfast food.

Monkey Bread

Ingredients

3 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough

1 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan. If using nuts and raisins, arrange them in and among the biscuit pieces as you go along.

In a small saucepan, melt the margarine or butter over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.

Monkey Bread Pictorial

I just couldn’t resist buying this cute mini-bundt pan

I only used 2 cans of biscuits

Quartered

Cinnamon-sugar mixture

Rolled in cinnasugar

Almost ready for the oven

Melted butter (I used the microwave)

Pour into dough

Baked

Cooling

Close-up

Plated

I love Monkey Bread because 1) it’s so easy to make 2) Anyone can make it and 3) it tastes good! Yum…look at that buttery, golden deliciousness!